Second-half goals from Andrew Surman and Anthony Pilkington were sufficient to give Norwich a win the Canaries deserved after dominating the first half of this match and creating the better chances in a marginally less one-sided second period.

Norwich manager Paul Lambert made four changes to the team badly beaten at Sunderland in midweek, which included returning David Fox and Pilkington to his midfield diamond in place of Bradley Johnson and Andrew Crofts, while Simeon Jackson replaced Steve Morison alongside Grant Holt up front.

Having seen his relegation-threatened side beaten just once in their previous eight outings, Bolton counterpart Owen Coyle was understandably less inclined to shake things up, but he must have been thoughtful after an opening half hour during which his side were desperately fortunate not to go behind.

Zak Whitbread headed a Fox corner wide, Holt forced the Bolton goalkeeper Adam Bogdan to make a diving save with a volley from Jackson's cross, and Jackson himself shot just wide from a narrow angle after clever work down the left by Surman.

Bolton had yet to make a single attempt on goal when Surman came within an inch of opening the scoring in the 24th minute. Wes Hoolahan's cross was turned into his path by Holt, but with only Bogdan to beat from inside the six yard box, Surman lifted the ball against the underside of the bar. It was on his wrong foot, his right, but it was a bad miss nonetheless.

Norwich's cause was not helped by the loss of both centre-halves to what appeared to be hamstring injuries, and shortly before half-time Bolton finally fashioned a chance, a Martin Petrov shot deflected just over the bar.

The second half was a more open affair, and both sides had gone close before the hard-working Jackson made space on the right to pull the ball back across the Bolton penalty area. Surman's first effort was blocked, but the ball sat up nicely and at the second attempt Surman, this time using his right foot to better effect, volleyed it beyond Bogdan.

Both sides had chances in the final quarter, but while Petrov brought a decent save from John Ruddy with a well struck half volley, Norwich spurned several opportunities to make the game safe. Holt was the chief culprit, notably when he turned Pilkington's cross over from short range, but with five minutes remaining, Bogdan spilled Holt's shot and Pilkington turned in the rebound.